Positioning of cylindrical elements



Nov. 3, 1959 R. P. KNAPP POSITIONING OF CYLINDRICAL ELEMENTS Filed Feb. 18, 1957 FLUID STORAGE INVENTOR.

Richard P. Knapp,

' ATTOR Y.

United States Patent POSITIONING OF CYLINDRICAL ELEMENTS Richard P. Knapp, Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application February 18, 1957, Serial No. 640,654

9 Claims. (Cl. 61--46.5)

The present invention is directed to apparatus for positioning a first cylinder'around a second cylinder. More particularly, the invention is directed to apparatus for enclosing a smaller cylinder by a larger cylinder. In its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with the placement of a cylindrical pontoon element around a cylindrical column.

The present invention may be briefly described as apparatus for enclosing a smaller cylinder by a larger cylinder. The larger cylinder has two hingedly connected segments and has an axial cylindrical opening of a size sufficient for receiving the smaller cylinder. Flexible means interconnect the two segments across the opening and the flexible means is of a length sufiicient to restrain and to provide limited movement apart of the segments. A piston arm is pivotally attached to one of the segments and carries a piston on the free end which is arranged slidably in a piston cylinder on the other segment. A hydraulic pumping means is connected to each end of the piston cylinder for introducing hydraulic fluid to the piston cylinder. Means are connected to the piston cylinder for releasing hydraulic fluid on exceeding a predetermined pressure. a

The larger cylinder is releasably placed around the smaller cylinder on moving one of the cylinders relative to the other cylinder so that the smaller cylinder contacts the flexible means and causes pressure in excess of the predetermined pressure to be exerted on the hydraulic fluid releasing means.

The flexible means may suitably be a metal chain, a wire rope or a fiber rope or a metal cable and the like. The flexible means may comprise articulated sections which will allow relative movement.

The hydraulic pumping means of the present invention is suitably provided with a check valve which prevents flow back into the hydraulic pumping means.

The present invention will be further illustrated by reference to the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the structure of the present invention showing the enclosure of a smaller cylinder by a larger cylinder;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic flow sheet showing the piston cylinder and the hydraulic pumping means and auxiliary equipment of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the arrangement of the smaller cylinder within the confines of the larger cylinder.

Referring now to the drawing in which identical numerals will be employed to designate identical parts and particularly to Fig. 1, numerals 11 and 12 designate identical size segments of a cylinder generally designated by the numeral 13 which are hingedly connected by hinging means 14. The segments 11 and 12 define semicircular openings 15 and 16 of a size sufficient to receive and enclose a smaller cylinder 17. The segments 11 and 12 are provided with entrance corners 18 and 19; Extending across the openings 15 and 16 is a flexible member, such as a chain 20 which is connected to segment 11 by connecting means 21 and to segment 12 by connecting means 22. A piston arm 23is pivotally connected to segment 12 by means 24 which may be a suitable bearing member and carries a piston 25 which is slidably arranged in a piston cylinder 26 pivotally connected to the segment 11 by the bearing member 26a. a

A conduit 27 provided with a check valve 28 connects pump 29 with a first end 30 of the cylinder 26 while a conduit 31 provided with a check valve 32 connects the second end 33 of the cylinder 26 with the pump 29. The pump 29 is conventional and may be operated by an electrical motor, a steam engine, or an internal combustion engine, and the like.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the pump 29 is connected by a suction line 34 provided with a valve 35 to a hydraulic fluid storage vessel 36. Pump 29 is shown arranged on the segment 11 and is suitably attached thereon. Vessel 36 may also be arranged on segment 11 or may be arranged on a work boat or on the platform 52 or other structure as desired. Conduit 27 also interconnects with the storage vessel 36 by way of line 37 provided with a pressure relief valve 38 through a manifold 39. Conduit 31 also connects to hydraulic storage vessel 36 by way of line 40 containing pressure relief valve 41.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the cylinder 13 defined by the segments 11 and 12 comprises a buoyant vessel which is designed to be placed around a buoyant column 50 enclosing a piling 51 which supports a platform 52 which, in turn, is designed to support a drilling structure for drilling a well in the sea bottom 53 for a marine or offshore location. Column 50 may be buoyant as described but also may be constructed to be I non-buoyant or may be alternately buoyant or nonbuoyant by flooding with or exhausting water as ballast. It will be noted that the platform 52 is arranged above the level of water 54.

The piling 51 is suitably cross-braced by cross-bracing 55 to provide rigidity and support.

In employing the device of the present invention, especially with reference to the showing of Fig. 3, the segmented cylinder 13 is forced into its open position by the hydraulic cylinder 26 through pressure applied by the pumping means 29. This pressure will hold the segmented cylinder 13 in the open position and the flexible restraining means 20 limits the amount of opening of the segments 11 and 12 to that required for placement of the segmented cylinder 13 about the cylinder 17 or the cylindrical column 50 of Fig. 3. The amount of opening may be limited by other mechanical means, such as stops on the hydraulic cylinder 26 as may be desired.

The pumping means is provided with a suitable hydraulic fluid reservoir, such as 36, and pressure relief valves 38 and 41 as has been described so that a constant pressure may he maintained on either ends 30 or 33 of the hydraulic cylinder 26. This pressure provides a constant force holding the cylinder 13 in an open or closed position. When a smaller cylinder such as 17 or 50 enters the opening of the segmented cylinder 13 or the segmented cylinder 13 is placed around a smaller cylinder, such as 17 or 50, one of the cylinders moves toward the hinge 14 until the flexible means 20 is contacted. Additional movement relative to the smaller cylinder 17 or 50 toward the hinge 14 increases the tension in the flexible means 20 and this tension increases until the. flexible means 20 exerts a greater closing force and moment on the open segmented cylinder 13 than the opening force and moment of the hydraulic cylinder 26. When the tension on the flexible means 20 overcomes the opening force of the hydraulic cylinder 26, one of the pressure relief valves in the hydraulic system permits flow of the hydraulic fluid from the cylinder 26 to the reservoir 36 and the segmented cylinder 13 closes.

The location and length of the flexible member 20 may be suitably adjusted to the relative size of the smaller cylinder such as 17 or 50. Likewise, the opening in the segmented cylinder 13 may suitably be adjusted so that the distance between the corners 18 and 19 of the opening in the segmented cylinder 13 will be greater than the diameter of the smaller cylinder, such as 17 or 50, when its axis of revolution passes and less than the diameter of the smaller cylinder, such as 17 or 50 after its axis of revolution has passed inboard of the corners 18 and 19.

As the smaller cylinder 17 or 50 passes inboard of the corners 18 and 19, increasing tension in the flexible means 20, closes the segmented cylinder 13 and the distance between the corners 18 and 19 becomes less than that of the small cylinder, such as 17 or 50. Complete closure of the segmented cylinder 13 may then be accomplished by reversing the action of the double acting hydraulic cylinder 26 and piston 25. Similarly, an external force available on the smaller cylinder, such as 50, or on the larger cylinder, such as 13, may cause a force toward the hinge 14 While pressure is released from the hydraulic system including the pump 29 and its attendant conduits and check and pressure release valves causing pressure to be supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 26 or the hydraulic fluid may be forced through one of the pressure relief valves back to the reservoir 36 if the tension on the flexible means is not prohibitive and the available external force is adequate.

Reversal of the action of the double acting hydraulic cylinder 26 is the preferable method for closing the segmented cylinder 13 since external force is then not required and since the hydraulic system then locks the smaller diameter cylinder, such as 50, within the opening of the segmented cylinder 13.

In providing a segmented cylinder 13 around a smaller cylinder, such as 50, as illustrated in Fig. 3, external force may be exerted on the cylinder 13, which is buoyant and movable, by a suitable powered vessel, such as a tug boat, and the like.

The present invention is of advantage and utility in that a means is provided for placing and locking a larger cylinder around a smaller cylinder with one of the cylinders moving relative to the other cylinder. This is quite advantageous and useful in offshore marine operations where it is desirable to provide auxiliary buoyancy to a buoyant structure or to remove or decrease buoyancy of a buoyant or non-buoyant structure.

The natural and objects of the present invention having been competely described and illustrated, what I wish to claim as new and useful and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for enclosing a smaller vertically arranged cylinder in a body of water comprising a larger cylinder forming a buoyant vessel, the larger cylinder comprising two hingedly connected segments and having an axial cylindrical opening of a size suflicient for receiving said smaller cylinder, said cylindrical vessel possessing sufiicient buoyancy to provide buoyancy for said smaller cylinder flexible means interconnecting said segments across said opening of a length suflicient to restrain and provide limited movement apart of said segments, a piston arm pivotally attached at one end to one of said segments and carrying a piston on a free end, its piston cylinder on and pivotally connected to the other segment, said piston being slidably arranged in said piston cylinder, hydraulic pumping means connected to each end of said piston cylinder for introducing hydraulic fluid to said piston cylinder and thereby moving said segments relative to each other into open and closed positions, and means connected to said piston cylinder for releasing hydraulic fluid therefrom on exceeding a predetermined pressure, said larger cylinder being releasably placed around the smaller cylinder on moving one of said cylin ders in said body of water relative t i i y sl.

such that the smaller cylinder contacts said flexible means and causes pressure in excess of the predetermined pressure to be exerted on said hydraulic fluid releasing means by said flexible means closing said segments and forcing the piston arm and piston cylinder together.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a chain.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a cable.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the flexible means is a wire rope.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the hydraulic pumping means is provided with a check valve and in which the hydraulic fluid releasing means is a pressure relief valve.

6. Apparatus for enclosing a smaller vertically arranged cylinder in a body of water comprising a larger cylinder forming a buoyant vessel, the larger cylinder comprising two hingedly connected segments and having an axial cylindrical opening of a size suflicient for receiving said smaller cylinder, said cylindrical vessel possessing sufficient buoyancy to provide buoyancy for said smaller cylinder, flexible meansinterconnecting said segments across said opening of a length sufficient to restrain and provide limited movement apart of said segments, a piston arm pivotally attached at one end to one of said segments and carrying a piston on a free end, its piston cylinder on and pivotally connected to the other segment, said piston being slidably arranged in said piston cylinder, hydraulic pumping means, conduit means connecting each end of saidpiston cylinder to said hydraulic pumping means for introducing hydraulic fluid to said piston cylinder and thereby moving said segments relative to each other into open and closed positions, and means connected to said conduit means for releasing hydraulic fluid therefrom on exceeding a predetermined pressure, said larger cylinder being releasably placed around the smaller cylinder on moving one of said cylinders in said body of water relative to the other cylinder such that the smaller cylinder contacts said flexible means and causes pressure in excess of the predetermined pressure to be exerted on said hydraulic fluid releasing means by said flexible means closing said segments and forcing the piston arm and piston cylinder together.

7. Apparatus for enclosing a smaller vertically arranged cylinder in a body of water comprising a larger cylinder forming a buoyant vessel, the larger cylinder comprising two hingedly connected segments and having an axial cylindrical opening of a size sufficient for receiving said smaller cylinder, said cylindrical vessel possessing sufiicient buoyancy to provide buoyancy for said smaller cylinder flexible means interconnecting said segments across said opening of a length suflicient to restrain and provide limited movement apart of said segments, a piston arm pivotally attached at one end to one of said segments and carrying a piston on a free end, its piston cylinder on and pivotally connected to the other segment, said piston being slidably arranged in said piston cylinder, hydraulic pumping means on one of said segments, conduit means connecting each end of said piston cylinder to said hydraulic pumping means for introducing hydraulic fluid to said piston cylinder and thereby moving said segments relative to each other into open and closed positions, and means connected to said conduit means for releasing hydraulic fluid therefrom on exceeding a predetermined pressure, said larger cylinder being releasably placed around the smaller cylinder on moving one of said cylinders in said body of Water relative to the other cylinder such that the smaller cylinder contacts said flexible means and causes pressure in excess of the prede termined pressure to be exerted on said hydraulic fluid releasing means by said flexible means closing said segments and forcing the piston arm and piston cylinder together, said conduit means also being provided with a check valve preventing flow of said hydraulic fluid back to said hydraulic pumping means on release of hydraulic fluid by said hydraulic fluid releasing means.

8. Apparatus for enclosing a smaller vertically arranged cylinder in a body of water comprising a larger cylinder forming a buoyant vessel, the larger cylinder comprising two hingedly connected segments and having an axial cylindrical opening of a size suflicient for receiving said smaller cylinder, said cylindrical vessel possess ing sufficient buoyancy to provide buoyancy for said smaller cylinder, flexible means interconnecting said seg ments across said opening of a length sufficient to re" strain and provide limited movement apart of said segments, a piston arm pivotally attached at one end to one of said segments and carrying a piston on a free end, its piston cylinder on and pivotally connected to the other segment, said piston being slidably arranged in said piston cylinder, hydraulic pumping means on one of said segments, a reservoir vessel for hydraulic fluid, first conduit means interconnecting each end or" said piston cylinder to said hydraulic pumping means for introducing hydraulic fluid to said piston cylinder and thereby moving said segments relative to each other into open and closed positions, second conduit means interconnecting said reservoir vessel and said hydraulic pumping means, and means connected to said first conduit means for releasing hydraulic fluid therefrom on exceeding a predetermined pressure, said larger cylinder being releasably placed around the smaller cylinder on moving said larger cylinders in said body of Water relative to the other cylinder such that the smaller cylinder contacts said flexible means and causes pressure in excess of the predetermined pressure to be exerted on said hydraulic fluid releasing means by said flexible means closing said segment and forcing the piston arm and piston cylinder together, said conduit means also being provided with a check valve preventing flow of said hydraulic fluid back to said hydraulic pumping means on release of hydraulic fluid by said hydraulic fluid releasing means.

9. Apparatus for enclosing a smaller vertically ar ranged cylinder in a body of Water comprising a larger cylinder forming a buoyant vessel, the larger cylinder comprising two hingedly connected segments and having an axial cylindrical opening of a size suificient for receiving said smaller cylinder, said cylindrical vessel possessing suflicient buoyancy to provide buoyancy for said smaller cylinder flexible means interconnecting said segments across said opening of a length suflicient to restrain and provide limited movement apart of said segments, hydraulic means attached to said segments pivotally interconnecting said segments for opening and closing said segments and thereby moving said segments relative to each other into open and closed positions, and means connected to said hydraulic means for releasing hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic means on exceeding a predetermined pressure, said larger cylinder being releasably placed around the smaller cylinder on moving one of said cylinders in said body of Water relative to the other cylinder such that the smaller cylinder contacts said flexible means and causes pressure in excess of the predetermined pressure to be exerted on said hydraulic fluid releasing means by said flexible means closing said segments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,979 Jacobi Mar. 17, 1942 2,651,181 Alcorn Sept. 8, 1953 2,740,210 Hamborg Apr. 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 504,752 Canada Aug. 3, 1954 

